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March 2 ,.1926. A. D. WYCKCFF WASTE, sATURATING APPARATUS Filed May 17, 15522 @hss mw NT..

A. D. wYcKoFF 'WASTE SATURATING APPARATUS March 2 1926. 1,575,026

Filed May 17, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW I). WYoIIoFF', oF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, Assrenon 'ro oII. raomic'rsl Ar- I LIANoE oo., or MAYWooD, ILLINOIS, A ooRroaATIoN or ILLINOIS.

WASTE-SATURATING APPARATUS.

i Application filed May 17, 1922. Serial No..561,698.

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW D. VVYCKOEF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Oak Park, Cook County, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Waste-Saturating Apparatus, of which the following is declared to be a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to waste saturating apparatus and its principal object is to provide a simple, practical and efficient apparatus for use in saturating wool waste with heavy lubricating oils.

It is well known that oil saturated wool waste is used in journal boxes for lubricating axle bearings, particularly in railroad or other heavy duty work, andtliat in such situations a Very heavy grade of lubricating oil is used. It is a difficult and tedious task to properly saturate wool waste with heavy oils and heretofore much time has been expended in performing this work. v With the use of apparatus, embodying the present invention, the wool waste may be saturated with the heavy grades of lubricating oils in much less time than heretofore, with less labor and`more economically. The invention consists of the several novel features hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a frontelevation, partly broken out, of a waste saturating apparatus, embodying a simple form of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section thereof, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section taken throughy a fragment of the walls of the apparatus; Fig. 4 isa detail, side elevation of a fragment of an elevator employed in the apparatus; Fig. 5 is a detail, horizontal section thereof taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a detail, vertical section thereof taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to said drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the present invention, the reference character 10 designates a box like receptacle open at the top and provided with a lid or cover 11 hinged to one .wall 13 is a faucet 15 through which the liquid contents may be drawn off when desired. Said faucet may be secured in a flange 16 on the front wall 17 of the tank 14.

In the form of the invention villustrated the tank 14 is divided into two compartments 18, by an upright partition 19, which,

ext-ends crosswise of the tank from its upper end to a place adjacent its bottom 13, there being a free Space below the bottom of the partition 19 for the passage of the' liquid contents from one side of the partition to the other.

In each compartment 18 is a waste containing basket 20, preferably constructed of heavy woven wire mesh work 21, and a reinforcing fram'e work 22. The basket 2O is open at the. top and is closed by a lid or cover 20a. The basket 2O forms part of an elevator 23, Whichis guided to move vertically in the compartment and is supported by elevator chains 24, which are trained over sprocket wheels 25, 26, located adjacent the top and bottom of the compartment.

In the form illustrated the elevator 23 comprises a rectangular basket supporting frame 27 formed of lengthwise and cross-l wvise extending angle iron bars, suitably secured together, and upright side plates 28 secured to the frame 27. Upon said side plates 28 are secured upright angle iron guide bars 29, arranged in pairs and slightly spaced apart so as to straddle upright guide rails 30, preferably formed of angle iron bars, secured to `the upright walls of the tank. The guide rails 30, and guide bars 29, co-operate to continuously hold the elevator frame 27 in a horizontal position. The elevator chains have certain links 24, which are formed with lugs 24 that are connected to the elevator by brackets 31 secured to the angle iron bars 29 The lower sprocket wheels 26are mounted on a shaft 32, which is journaled in bearing brackets 33 secured to and supported-by the bottom wall 13, and the upper sprocket Wheels 25 are mounted on bearing brackets 34,35, which are secured to the front and back walls of the receptacle. Connected with the front sprocket wheel 25 is a ratchet wheel 37 which is mounted in the bracket 34 on the front wall of the receptacle and engages with a pawl 39 that is pivotally sup' ported on said bracket 34. The pawl 39, when in engagement with the ratchet wheel 37, prevents retrograde movement thereof, thereby holding the elevator 23 and its basket 20 at any level in the tank. A crank 40 may be applied to the ratchet wheel or to the squared end of its shaft whereby the sprocket wheel may be turned to raise or lower the elevator. It will be understood that each compartment isprovided with. an elevator and elevator .operating mechanism above described.

Lubricating oils used for saturatmg waste for journal boxes are very, heavy and unless heated to a temperature of one hundred to one hundred and thirty degrees, or thereabouts, do not impregnate the waste thoroughly. I have provided means for heating the oil before and during the saturation of the waste and for maintaining a substantially even temperature during this time, thereby rendering the heavy oil more fluid and mobile, whereby it will readily impregnate the waste during a minimum time of exposure.

Conveniently the tank 14 is-separate from the heater and rests thereon. As shown the heater has a casing 41 directly below the tank casing, separated therefrom by a T iron frame 42, which is secured on the top of the heater casing 41 and upon which the tank casingdirectly rests. The sides and bottom of the heater casing may be lined with asbestos sheets 43 to more thoroughly insulate the heater. The front wall 44 of the .heater has an opening 45 through which slides a drawer 46 that rests on angle iron rails 47. which are secured to the walls of the heater. The front 48 of the drawer closes the opening inthe front wall when the drawer is closed. On the bottom of the drawer may be placed a sheet of asbestos or fibre 49 and secured to and supported by said drawer are resistance coils or other electric heating elements 50, the electrical connections 51 of which extend to an electric thermostat apparatus 52 (contained in a predetermined degree and closes the circuit i to the heating elements when the temperature therein falls below certain predetermined fdegree as is well understood. A. switch 54 in the main circuit controls the current to the apparatus.

1n the operation of the apparatus, the tank 14 is filled with lubricating oil up to a level, somewhat above the top of the basket 2() when the latter is in its lowermost'position, whereby it may be totally submerged in the liquid. The electric current is then turned on and the oil is thereby heated and rendered more fluid. `The elevator 23 in one compartment is then raised to the top of the tank, the cover of the basket raised and the basket filled with the waste which is to `be treated. The cover is then placed on the basket and the elevator lowered into the oil bath. If necessary this may be done forcibly by rotating the crank in the proper direction. The other basket may also be filled with waste and submerged in the same manner, after which the cover 11 is closed and the waste is subjected to treatment for a predetermined length of time-sucient to insure complete saturation of the waste, after which the elevators are raised to bring them above the level of the liquid, in which position they are held by the awl and ratchet mechanism, thereby permitting the excess or surplus oil to drip from the waste. 'Ihe waste is thereafter removed for storage and usage. Whenever necessary the faucet 15 may be opened to remove the oil and accumulated foreign matter and the latter may be strained out of the oil to again render it fit for use.

In order that the attendant may be notified when the temperature in the tank has been raised to the proper degree, to saturate the kind and grade of waste used, with a lubricating oil of a predetermined viscosity, an electric lamp 55 may be placed in the thermostat circuit in such manner that when the maximum temperature is reached in the tank, the circuit through the lamp 55 will be closed, thereby illuminating the lamp and thus indicating to the attendant that the bath is ready to receive the waste.

In case it becomes necessary to inspect the heating elements in the heating chamber the drawer 46 may be pulled'out, thereby exposing the heating elements.

The principal reason for the production of an apparatus of this kind lies in the fact that inthe past there has )been no proper and adequate means for the saturation of waste for application to street car journals and motor and generator bearings. The variation in the amount of wool and cotton content in the waste used at' divers points; the

kind and nature of the oil used as to its viscosity, etc.; the temperature of car barns and other locations wherein the waste was soaked and various other minor factors entering into the situation, have brought about a condition where the waste would be improperly saturated thus completely circumventing the possibility of correct saturation. Englneering knowledge has always agreed on the fact that there did exist an ideal point at which perfect saturation was possible of attainment, but owing to the adverse conditions as stated heretofore and the fact that no adequate apparatus was provided for proper saturation, a vast amount of wastage, both in oil, waste and labor has been unavoidable.

The two chief factors which have in the past proven an insurmountable obstacle to correct saturation have been, first, the viscosity of the oil. Oil used for thus purpose should be extremely high in viscosity. Such oil when used in a cold state in a cold room would not penetrate properly the mass of waste immersed init.

The second difficulty, it necessarily follows, was the one of the application of the oil to the waste at the correct temperature in a cold room. Former methods of waste saturation have been simply to immerse the waste desired to be prepared for packing in street car journals and other places in the oil provided. After the waste had been immersed a sufficient length of Itime, so that upon examination it revealed the fact that the waste had taken up all of the oil that it was possible for it to absorb (inthe judgment of the operator), it was then taken from the oil and placed upon an elevated screen in another tank and was allowed to drain indefinitely, or until such time as in the judgment of the operator, the waste had reached the point where sufficient oil had drained from it bythis process so that it was in a condition to usefor packing. However, it has been found and proven that waste saturated after, .this method always contains a large exceslstof oil over -that amount which is required by good engineering practice for proper and ecient lubrication. l

The foregoing embodiment of the invention is preferable from the fact that in order to insure thorough and proper saturation of wastes of various kinds and quality, the-oil in which it is immersed must be heated to such a point that its viscosity will be sufficiently lowered so that it will quickly enetrate the mass of waste contained in the askets. This heating of the oil is accomplished, of course, through the action of the heat operating in the electric coils in the lower chamber or through the application of steam to steam coils, as the case may be.

The pilot light is attached in such manner as to indicate the time at which the mass of oil contained in the tank has arrived at the proper degree of heat. At this time the baskets are lowered into the lnass 'of hot oil. After a proper period of time of soaking in the hot oil the'baskets are lifted to top position and allowed to drain with the heat coils still operating for the reason that proper draingage cannot be had unless'the waste is maintained in the same approximate temperature as when the baskets were in soaking position. After suflicient drainage has been had from the waste, it is then ready for application for whatever urpose it is to be used. The object attained through this operation is the elimination of all excess oil from the waste leavin the fibres of the waste. as regards their oil olding properties in their natural and normal condition. Waste saturated after this method and placed in the journal or bearing can be more compactly packed and properly placed and will have a far greater life in the bearing and greater oil holding proensities during the time of its usefulness 1n the bearing or journal.

The outstanding feature of this apparatus lies in the fact that the amount of heat applied to the body of oil can be regulated according to the viscosity of the` oil and the quality of the waste to be saturated and when the Vbaskets are raised into a draining position, a certain amountv only of oil will be drained from the waste at the degree of heat existin in the tank and for which the thermostat 1s regulated. In other words, after drainage has been completed up to a certain point at a stated heat no further drainage can under any circumstances take place regardless of how long the heat is applied. The use of this device (provided always that the waste is of a fair average quality) continually insuies the uniform quality of .properly saturated waste at all times and the device therefore eliminates the unsatisfactory condition of varying amounts of oil applied with the waste.

More or less variation of the exact details of construction is possible Without departing from spirit of this invention; I desire,-

therefore, not to limit myself to the exact form of the construction shown and` described, but intend, in the following claims, to point out all of the invention disclosed herein.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A Waste saturating apparatus comprising an oil tank, an elevator frame in said tank, cooperating guiding means on said tank and elevator frame for holding the latter in a horizontal condition, sprocket wheels mounted adjacent the top of the tank, a shaft journaled in bearings at the bottom of the tank, sprocket wheels on the ends of said shaft, sprocket chains trained around the upper and ower sprocket wheels and secured to said elevator frame, means whereby one of said upper sprocket Wheels may be rotated to raise and lower said elevator frame, and an openwork Waste receiving basket supported on said elevator frame.

2n Tn a Waste saturating apparatus, an

i oil tank, a partition therein and extending part Way to the bottom of the tank from its top dividing it into two communicating compartments, a; cover for said tank, a waste receiving elevator in each compartment, ele- Vater operating mechanism for each elevator, a heating chamber below the compartments and heating -elements contained in said heating chamber.

ANDREW D.v WYcKoFF. 

